Before knowing the Importance of pH in plants and animals, first, know what is pH and how it affects living things like human beings, plants, and animals.
pH: This term is widely used in chemistry, biology, and agronomy. It translates the value of the concentration of hydrogen ions. pH is a figure that expresses the value of acidity and alkalinity of a solution on a logarithm scale. The value of 7 is neutral and a less value of pH describes more acidity and the higher value tells us about more Alkaline.
pH in Water
pH in water indicates that how much the water is acidic or alkaline. The pH ranges between 0 to 14 and for the water it ranges from 6.5 to 8.5. The less pH is more acidic water and more pH means water is more alkaline.
Water is the basic and important part of every living thing. So the importance of pH increases more in water because every life is dependent on pure water.
PH in Plants
In plants pH ranges from 5.5 to 7.00. For home gardening it is about 6.5 and most of plants thrive in between 6.0 to 7.0. some plants like blueberries and azaleas needs more acidic soil while other like ferns do its best in alkaline soil.
Why is pH Important for Plants?
Because pH plays an important role in growth of plants. The more balanced pH soil, the greater results in plants growth. The pH level in the soil helps the plants to absorb the nutrients present in the soil. If
soil has less pH than 5.5 it means the soil is acidic and it can result in low growth. Plants leaches the nutrients in balanced pH soil very quickly and grow in faster way. Yellow patches on grass and fungal leaf are the basic sign of acidic soil.
On the other hand, alkaline also effects plants growth. If the soil is more alkaline the plants become more harder and have less leaves and less fruits. Brown spots on leaf and dark green leaves with red or purple tinged also shows that the soil has higher pH level.
What to Do for Balanced pH in Soil?
If your plants soil has high pH level than you should solve this problem by adding some acidity in soil;
• sulfur, aluminum sulfate and sulfuric acid. The choice of material is depended upon the structure of your plant and the type and size of plant experiencing the deficiency.
• If your plants have more acidic soil, you must try some lime solutions.
Acidic soil is neutralized by adding some limestone (available at garden centers). It can be added in powdered form. But don’t over use lime because it is easier to raise the pH level than to low it.
Now comes to another living thing;
pH Level in Animals
In animals’ pH level is between 6.5 to 8.5. it determines the value of acidity active in blood of animals. Acidity of stomach mostly ranges between 1 to 3. in digestive system pH plays an important role because the hydrochloric acid; which is always settled secretly in stomach, active the enzymes pepsin which helps the food to digest easily. The pH in stomach should always be balanced. If pH level increases the protein of food in not digested. It disturbs the whole system.
Why a Balanced pH Level is Important for Animals?
A balanced pH level is much important in animals life because it always affects their health and growth faster. If animals have low pH in their body they will go for disturbance in sodium and chloride ions and it will cause respiratory failure and leads them to die. If the pH of their body increases too much their most organism will die. This is same in human beings also. For example, in human body the pH in blood varies from 7.35 to 7.45, if it has a slight change in it, we will start to feel sick.
Importance of pH in Aquatic Life
Aquatic life has more impact of pH in their survival. If the pH of water is too high or too low, I will directly affect the aquatic organisms to live in. It also disturbs the solubility and toxicity of chemicals in water.
The most of the aquatic creature prefers a pH range in 6.5 to 9.00. It also affects the working of enzymes in their body. Extreme in pH can make a river or pond inconvenient for life because low pH level always harms immature fish and aquatic species. Acidic water also disturbs the absorbing speed of metals which cause a great threat to water spices.
pH in Aquatic Plants
Aquatic plants also have a direct impact of water pH in their growth because they directly absorb the sea or river water. If it is not balanced in pH, it will always harm the plants under water. Less pH is always disturbing level because plants can’t absorb the nutrients present in their soil and can’t grow effectively if the acidity is more Presented.
Hence
It is proven that the level of pH always plays an important role in all living species; human beings, animals and plants also. It determines the growth in an effective way or it disturbs all the growing period of plants and animals. Plants and animals can’t survive in an unbalanced pH level in soil and water. It can be controlled by different ways so the growth rate in both species can be higher and better.